Forum Discussion

panamacamper1's avatar
Dec 12, 2013

should I worry about gelling?

Ok, I am in korea for a year. My wife is home with our kids and my truck. I purchased a ram 2500 with the 5.9 cummins a month before I left. I know she will start it and drive it once a week. The thing is we have never owned deisel. What is gelling?
in maryland should I worry about that?

22 Replies

  • Gelling is when the normal, #2 diesel fuel in the vehicle gets so cold it starts to turn from liquid to solid. So the fuel starts getting jelly like, instead of a complete liquid.

    These at first, very small solid particles of fuel, plug the filter they have to pass through on the way to injection into the engine.

    Usually if your winter time temperatures get no lower than the 20 something degree range the summer #2 fuel will not gell.

    However, if you get temps below that for a long period of time, this could present a problem.

    Most retailers in the Maryland area and north sell a winter blended diesel fuel for the winter months. Have the wife fill the tank with this blended fuel and you should be fine. Make sure she asks if the diesel is winter blended before filling up. This blended will mix with the regular #2 already in the tank and keep your fuel gell free unless you get temps well below zero.

    And, gee, I really don't know how cold you folks in Maryland get. So hope this helps.

    Oh and good lord don't put any type of gas in the tank. Power Service diesel additive (white bottle) is available almost any auto parts or Wal Mart store. Put about 4 ounces of this in a 35 gallon tank of diesel and it will not gell at 40 below zero.

    Here's a link to Power Service stuff: Power Service winter diesel additive
  • In very cold temperatures diesel fuel can become gel like and be slow to flow. Some people add a little regular gas to the tank to prevent this.